Au Pair Bank Account

Almamay

Hi,

I was wondering if there was any up to date advice to help our au pair open a bank account in London. Au pairs have been around for ages so there is nothing new but people (usually very young) at the bank seem really confused by the concept. An au pair is usually an unmarried woman between 18-30 who lives with a family and takes on some of the chores and is an equal in the family. She is not "employed" as such, but here to learn English and we pay her expenses and give her spending money. We have had three au pairs and they are now like family to us and our son loves them. So do I!

Our new lovely au pair is 28 and an Italian national. I would like to set up a direct debit to a bank account for her so I can pay her spending money into her account. She is registered with our GP at our address, has Italian ID and I am a solicitor so can write a reference.

Banks have suggested quite frankly illegal things to meet their requirements to open an account. "Put her on one of your utility bills." And I say, "But I'm responsible for the bills, not my au pair, that would be lying." "We can't open the account if you don't do that." and I reply, "So you are asking me to lie to open an account with you? I won't do it."

There MUST be a basic account out there for au pairs. It's crazy.

Thanking you for reading this.

grumbler

Try HSBC: http://www.hsbc.co.uk/1/2/current-accounts/basic-bank-account?HBEU_dyn_lnk=CurrentAccount_FilterTool_Basic_FindOutMore_Button

• Basic Bank Account Identification and Address Verification (PDF)
  
  
  
  

Acceptable address verification documents
...
Full Driving Licence, UK or overseas (must show your address, signature and photograph
...
A non UK bank, building society or credit union statement will be accepted as address verification for Foreign Nationals only and only where this is within a jurisdiction with equivalent legislation and financial standard

You can't set up a direct debit. Is it a standing order that you mean?

In the worst case scenario you can consider getting a prepaid card on your name and giving it to her. Most prepaid cards can be topped up by a bank transfer; some even have a sort code and an account number like bank accounts.

tonycottee

It's been a while since I've dealt with au-pairs as they don't seem as popular anymore since the expansion of the EU.
However, the problem you may be having is that they are not supposed to be paid as such. The money they receive is supposed to be pocket money, so there shouldn't really be a need for them to open a UK account. All of those that I used to deal with were paid in cash.

colsten

Almamay wrote: »

We have had three au pairs and they are now like family to us and our son loves them.

May be your new au pair could get some tips from one of them?

xylophone

Her situation is similar to that of a foreign student?https://www.bba.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/AE249_BBA_International_Students_Oct12.pdf

With regard to the letter (page 4), perhaps you could write a letter on your firm's headed paper explaining that the young woman is an au pair?

Once the account is opened you would set up a standing order from your personal account to hers but you would wish to document this as gift or pocket money, so as not to be regarded as an employer?

tonycottee

I think the issue being isn't she isn't classed as being resident in the UK or employed. There isn't a huge difference between her being here and a person having a 3 month holiday in the UK.

James_B.

Almamay wrote: »

Banks have suggested quite frankly illegal things to meet their requirements to open an account. "Put her on one of your utility bills." And I say, "But I'm responsible for the bills, not my au pair, that would be lying."

It would be neither lying nor illegal.

Almamay

Thanks for the replies.

I don't seem to be any closer to having a bank account for our lovely au pair. I shall look into the prepaid card. I wonder if she can draw out cash with it if she needs.

Just to answer a few questions.

1. I guess it is a standing order not a direct debit. Thank you for pointing that out.
2. I have done a reference letter on headed paper. Doesn't seem to count.
3. We pay our au pair the going rate for spending money which is £70pw. This is for her to spend as she wishes like a child's allowance. We are paying her cash but you would be surprised at how much a UK bank card comes in handy. Simple things like topping up a UK phone card online.
4. Personally, I think it would be lying to put the name of someone on a bill who has no intention of being responsible for that bill. It would also break our au pair contract as we are responsible for the bills not our au pair. I thought the whole idea of providing proof of identity and residence (i.e. a utility bill) was for national security to prevent money laundering, terrorism etc. Doesn't putting the name of someone on a utility bill for the sole purpose of circumventing these checks defeat the whole purpose of the checks? I guess I'm old fashioned.
5. Two of our previous au pairs are now working in the UK but couldn't get bank accounts until they had their own place and job.
6. Our current au pair will be with us a year. Longer if she wishes.

Definitely a gap in the market for a simple account for au pairs.

Thanks again.

grumbler

Prepaid cards typically charge for ATM withdrawals.
If using a prepaid card it would be wiser to split the payment into a cash part and a bank transfer on her request.
Alternatively she can use the cash to top up the card herself, e.g. Orange prepaid card can be topped up in 'selected EE Shops'.

bazzyb

She should be able to open a basic account, perhaps the bank thinks you are looking for a standard current account:

http://moneyfacts.co.uk/guides/banking/can-you-open-an-account-without-proof-of-address/#

bazzyb

Further to above: Lloyds, in particular, state all that is needed is a passport: http://www.lloydsbank.com/banking-with-us/joining-lloyds/new-to-the-uk.asp